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Conditional
Sentences
In
conditional sentences, we speak hypothetically.
We talk about what would happen as a consequence (or result) of some
hypothetical condition.
Therefore, every conditional sentence has two parts: the
CONDITION and the CONSEQUENCE.
In
addition, there are three different kinds of conditional sentences.
The first two kinds (we call them "conditional one"
and "conditional two") deal with the future or the
present.
The difference between the two is based upon probability.
The last kind ("conditional three") deals only with
the past.
Let's
look more closely at each kind.
In
this kind of sentence, we are discussing a hypothetical situation. The
chances of that situation either being true now or becoming true
later are relatively good. In any case, we do NOT know for
certain if it is true or if it will become true. (If we know for
certain that something is true or will become true, then we are not
speaking hypothetically!)
THE
CONDITION:
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THE
CONSEQUENCE:
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If
"A" HAPPENS (in the future),
If "A" IS HAPPENING (now),
If "A" IS (general fact),
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"B" WILL HAPPEN as a result.
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Notice that
the verb in the conditional part of the sentence (called "the
conditional clause"), is in the PRESENT tense even when we
are talking about something that might happen in the FUTURE!
(This is similar to what was said in the section on the future tense
and its time signals.)
Notice also
that the verb in the rest of the sentence (called "the main
clause") is always in the FUTURE because a consequence is
always something that happens later, after a condition is met.
Here are
some examples:
If
I SELL my boat (in the future),
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I
WILL TAKE you to dinner.
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If it IS SNOWING (right now),
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I WILL DRIVE you home.
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If I AM wrong
(general fact),
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I WILL BUY you a beer.
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The main
point here is that the speaker thinks that the chances of the
condition being or becoming true are relatively good.
This, of course, is a subjective opinion.
Other speakers may see the chances as relatively bad. If so,
then they would choose Conditional Two.
In this
kind of conditional sentence, we are still discussing a hypothetical
situation. But now the chances of the situation either being true
now or becoming true later are not good or are zero.
THE
CONDITION:
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THE
CONSEQUENCE:
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If
"A" HAPPENED (in the future),
If "A" WERE HAPPENING (now),
If "A" WERE the case (general fact),
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"B" WOULD HAPPEN as a result.
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Notice that
now the verb in the conditional clause is in the PAST tense!
In fact, however, it is not really the past tense.
It is the SUBJUNCTIVE.
The subjunctive is used to voice such hypothetical
situations.
In English, it looks and sounds exactly the same as the past
tense, which makes it easy to learn!
But do not think it has anything to do with the past.
One last word about the subjunctive: It is actually correct
to use were with ALL SUBJECTS.
Nevertheless, many native speakers (not only Americans!)
mistakenly use "was" with "I", "he",
"she", and "it" in conditional two sentences.
The verb in
the main clause always appears after the word "would".
This expresses again the conditional nature of the
sentence.
A pitfall (or trap) that many people (including native
speakers!) fall into is to use the word "would" in BOTH
parts of the sentence.
You may hear this often, but it is wrong.
Here are some
examples:
If I
SOLD my boat (in the future), ... I WOULD TAKE you to
dinner.
If I LIVED
in Japan (general fact), ... I WOULD EAT Sushi often.
If I WERE
you (impossible), ... I WOULD ASK an expert.
If it WERE
SNOWING (at this moment), ... I WOULD DRIVE you home.
If he WERE
more reliable, ... I WOULD WORK with him.
If they
WENT out more often, ... they WOULD HAVE more fun.
If I
RECEIVED an offer from them, ... I WOULD FALL over from shock.
If he
CHANGED his strategy, ... his position WOULD IMPROVE.
The main
point to remember is that the speaker thinks the chances of the
condition being or becoming true are relatively bad.
Again, this is a subjective opinion.
Other speakers may see the chances as relatively good.
If so, then they would choose Conditional One.
In this kind
of sentence, the hypothetical situation is in the PAST.
We are talking about something that did not happen.
The chances of the condition being true is ZERO, because
everyone knows that it did not happen.
There is no doubt and no disagreement about this fact.
Nevertheless, we can still talk about the consequences of
this hypothetical condition.
How would the past (or present or even the future) be
different if this condition had happened or had been true?
THE
CONDITION:
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THE
CONSEQUENCE:
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If "A" had happened
(in the past), ...
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"B"
WOULD HAVE HAPPENED (in the past).
"B" WOULD
BE HAPPENING (now).
"B" WOULD HAPPEN (in the future).
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Notice that
the verb in the conditional clause is always with the word
"had".
The verb in the main clause is always with the word
"would".
If the consequence is in the past, we use "would
have".
If the consequence is in the present or future, we use"
would".
Here are some
examples:
If I
HAD LIVED in China as a child, I WOULD HAVE LEARNED Chinese
long ago.
If I HAD
LIVED in China as a child, I WOULD SPEAK Chinese perfectly
now.
If I
HAD LIVED in China as a child, I WOULD DO business there in
the future.
The main
point to remember is that the condition is being presented as an
alternative to reality in order to discuss the possible
consequences.
If I WIN
the Lotto next Saturday, I WILL GIVE you a thousand euros.
= I
think I have a good chance of winning.
If I WON
the Lotto next Saturday, I WOULD GIVE you a thousand
euros.
= I
think I have a poor chance of winning.
If I HAD
WON the Lotto last Saturday, I WOULD HAVE GIVEN you a thousand
euros.
= I
did not win.
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